MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera submitted her resignation letter to President Arroyo Wednesday night to concentrate on her campaign for a seat in Congress as representative of Quezon province.

"By the way, nag-tender na ako ng resignation (I have tendered my resignation)," Devanadera announced during an interview over radio dzMM.

Devanadera said she was supposed to make the official announcement earlier on Wednesday, but hesitated because she wanted to personally inform President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo about her intention to resign.

The justice secretary said she submitted her resignation to President Arroyo around 11 p.m. Wednesday. She said the resignation was not immediately effective because she has still some "papers left on my table."

"I will soon be in transition. Definitely until the end of the  month," she said, adding that she still needs to handle some administrative jobs in the department.

Devanadera is the first Cabinet secretary running in the May 10 elections to resign after the Supreme Court's ruling that deemed Cabinet officials as resigned upon the filing of their certificates of candidacy.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, who is running as a representative of a Camarines Sur congressional district, had also announced his impending resignation because of the SC ruling.

In a separate interview with ANC, Devanadera said she expects other Cabinet secretaries to tender their resignations as advised by President Arroyo. She said the President had told them that they should resign if they feel their official schedules would be affected by their campaign schedules.

"The President has always reminded us that if our [campaign] schedules will be in competition with our schedules in our work, we should tender our resignation," she said.

Maguindanao massacre case in good hands

Meanwhile, Devanadera assured that the Maguindanao massacre case, which is currently the biggest case of the Department of Justice, will be left in the hands of "competent, committed" prosecutors.

Devanadera also downplayed reports of settlement offers by the camp of the Ampatuans to the massacre victims' families.

She said relatives of the victims have assured her that they will not back out of the multiple murder cases filed against members of the Ampatuan clan, including prime suspect Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Devanadera, meanwhile, explained that the murder cases filed against the Ampatuans will be not be affected by the settlements.

"Whatever the amount of money given in settlement of the civil liability, it does not settle the criminal liability," she said.